Inexpensive/Free vets in New Orleans?

Does anyone know any free or VERY inexpensive vet resources in New Orleans?

A couple of my friends live in New Orleans and have a pair of cats. She recently mentioned they have fleas, which of course set my alarms off, as I am sure they have other things as well and probably have not been regularly checked up. However, they are dirt poor, and working hard just to make bills and trying to pay off plenty of debt at the same time.

I know, I know, they should not have pets if they can't afford them , but I am a thousand miles away otherwise I'd pick them up and take them and pay for vet checks myself. (And I don't trust sending them money as I know the temptation would be too great to put it towards many other things and I can't check up on them.) Also, working out payments with a vet would be unlikely (ah the poverty of college grads).

SO... does anyone know any resources that could help?

Originally Posted by iceover

Does anyone know any free or VERY inexpensive vet resources in New Orleans?

A couple of my friends live in New Orleans and have a pair of cats. She recently mentioned they have fleas, which of course set my alarms off, as I am sure they have other things as well and probably have not been regularly checked up. However, they are dirt poor, and working hard just to make bills and trying to pay off plenty of debt at the same time.

I know, I know, they should not have pets if they can't afford them , but I am a thousand miles away otherwise I'd pick them up and take them and pay for vet checks myself. (And I don't trust sending them money as I know the temptation would be too great to put it towards many other things and I can't check up on them.) Also, working out payments with a vet would be unlikely (ah the poverty of college grads).

SO... does anyone know any resources that could help?

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Free vets? Sorry, never heard of it. Could they just go to a vet and buy flea medication without taking the cats in? That will be a lot cheaper. But they should buy it from a vet, not from a pet store. The ones in pet store can harm the cat. If you don't want to send them money, perhaps you could buy some anti-flea mediaction from your vet and send it to them? Highly unlikely they could use it on anything else.

you mentioned sending them money, but not trusting them. you could have the money sent directly to the vet?

I have considered just trying to buy flea meds. Actually, I think getting some Advantage would be better, but I am not sure of the cats weight and part of me doubts these cats have ever been to a vet, so I am a little paranoid about a reaction (especially since they would not have the money for emergency vet bills if something did happen). Since they have fleas, undoubtably these cats have worms and probably have never been treated for heartworm either (in mosquito-laden New Orleans no less!).

Anyways, I think I found a vet clinic that has some reasonable prices. I will pass those along to my friend and hopefully they will consider saving up if they know a rough cost.

Supposedly they will be moving back north by the fall, and since the cats are indoors only as far as I know, this may relieve the flea problem (once they can get treated for the current infestation).